Friends?
by CandeeVictoria
Summary: A dark force is looming around Raven, making her turn against her friends. But finally, when the Teen Titans find out what's wrong with her, it may be too late to keep Raven from killing herself! COMPLETE! Disclaimer, I do not own Teen Titans.
1. The Dark Force

Chapter One  
  
Raven swung back her hood to her dark cloak and sat down on the curb of an alley. Slade was here again, Robin was fighting him. Why bother fighting if only Robin is involved? She sighed deeply as she pressed her chin into the palms of her hands.  
  
She could sense danger again entering her. The same danger that had got her started in chakra, to keep it away from her. The same danger that had messed up her mind and made her so glum. He was coming again...it was he that had found away to enter her barrier.  
  
He was talking to her now, in her head, tormenting her inside. She wanted to cry, tell it to go away, but she knew very well he wouldn't, even if she did know how to cry. She hadn't cried in years now, nevertheless wanted to. But now she wished she could, to let him know how much she feared him, hated him.  
  
They're not your friends. Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, Cyborg...did you honestly think they let you hang out in the tower because they like you? They want to be your friend? Raven, you deserve better than them. They don't want you any more than you want them.  
  
Raven looked at the ground, "They are my friends," she said in her slow, deepened voice, "And I want them to be..."  
  
They think you're just a weird, depressed little girl who knows nothing useful.  
  
"I helped them find Slade once."  
  
That does not mean anything, Raven. They only let you in the Titan Tower because you are a good fighter and can see things more sharply than themselves. They are using you, Raven. Come with me.  
  
"No! I will never join you. Please go away."  
  
You may be denying it now but later on deep down you'll feel that way, you'll want to leave them. Save yourself the further depression and...  
  
Raven pressed her palms into her ears, "I can't hear you! I can't hear you anymore," he went away and she sighed, taking her palms out of her ears. He was stronger, more annoying this time. She would have to build more chakra power to destroy him this time. Afterwards she would build a mental barrier to block out any other forces.  
  
Slade was breathing hard now, Robin, yes, had gotten stronger than the last time they met. He saw Starfire, a green force forming around both hands. Beast Boy, turning into his gorilla form. Cyborg, his missiles ready to fire. And Robin, holding his fist out, not even bother to use a better defense. But where was the glum looking girl?  
  
"We will surely met again, Titans," Slade said, sneering slightly, although the titans couldn't see it. He reached into his shirt and grabbed a small vile with red liquid inside it, "I can reassure you we'll met very soon."  
  
"Not so fast, Slade," Robin screamed loudly. He ran towards Slade, his fist drawn. Slade thrust the vile in front of him, throwing it to the ground. A powerful red smoke burst out and covered the entire room. Robin covered his eyes, which was stinging from the impact of the smoke and coughing from the strong aroma entering his lungs.  
  
The smoke cleared and everyone slowly opened their eyes, blinking a little to get used to the air again. Robin frantically looked all over the place for Slade. Cyborg shook his head, "Forget it Robin, he got away...again."  
  
Robin slammed his fist into the wall, "No! Not again!" he knelt down on the ground in anger. Starfire walked over to him, putting her arm around his shoulders.  
  
"Do not worry, Robin," she said, in her usual, sweet voice, "We shall catch Slade next time."  
  
"You always say that, Star," Robin replied, "And it never happens."  
  
"We will be stronger then," she said, smiling, "Do you not realize each time we go against Slade, we come closer to defeating him. He would have never gotten away without that smokey-thing he had."  
  
"Yes, Star...but aren't you forgetting something? He always has a way to escape. Next time he'll come up with another. Yes, each time we'll be stronger. But also each time he'll be smarter, clever. We need to find out his plans prior to the fight. Otherwise we're defeated."  
  
Cyborg crossed his arms in disgust, "He can't face a good fight. He's not like other villains. Everyone else we've defeated fought until they were done."  
  
Beast Boy shrugged, "Let it go, Robin. We should have a good chance next time," Robin shrugged also, getting up from the floor along with Starfire. Beast Boy looked around, a little concerned, "Do any of you see Raven?"  
  
The titans looked around as well, "She was here when Slade knocked a piece of my armor off me," Cyborg said, "After that I didn't see her at all."  
  
"Where can she be?" asked Starfire in a worried voice, "Could she have ran off with Slade?"  
  
"I'm right here," said a glum voice at the large doorway. It was Raven, her hood was draped and all you could see was her gleaming eyes, "I left because it seemed Robin had it under control."  
  
Robin blushed, "The other titans were fighting too, you know."  
  
"Not that way I saw it," Raven crossed her arms.  
  
"She's right, Robin," said Beast Boy, "None of us had a chance to attack Slade even once."  
  
"Yes, Robin," Starfire added in, "We had our attacks ready, but you had Slade under your own possession."  
  
Robin shook his head, slowly, "Let's just go home."  
  
Raven opened the door to her room and stepped inside. Her eyes immediately adjusted to darkness of the room. She walked over to her bed and laid her head onto the pillow. She closed her eyes and rested her hands to her sides.  
  
"Azrac Metzion Zinthos..." she began, "Power of chakra, I invoke stronger power of you."  
  
Her chakra jewel on her forehead flamed with bright red light.  
  
"Power of chakra, I invoke stronger power of you...I invoke stronger power of you...I invoke...I invoke..."  
  
You cannot rid me just by invoking stronger power.  
  
Raven chanted louder, "Power of chakra, I invoke stronger power of you..."  
  
You cannot hide the fact that you will need more than even all the power of the chakra. Nothing can get rid of me than your frilly little spells, Raven.  
  
"I invoke stronger power of you."  
  
You know what I think? I think that Beast Boy is the one using you the most.  
  
"Power of you..." Raven suddenly became interested, "What?"  
  
You may think he's just an innocent minded freak who changes into animals. But haven't you heard the power of chakra allows animals to become more fierce?  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
I think that 'Beast Boy' is using you as a titan to get to the power of chakra and steal it from you.  
  
"Fool, no one can steal it!"  
  
That they can. And if you don't join me, you'll be very hurt in a couple of days.  
  
"Power of chakra I invoke stronger power of you...Power of chakra, I invoke stronger power of you..."  
  
Fool! Will you shut up! I'll kill you!  
  
"Power of chakra I invo-" Raven felt a strong force lift her arms and press the palms of her hands into her throat, cutting off her airway. She made slight choking sounds.  
  
Now as long as you're listening, hear this. I have become a part of you this time, I can control your body. I can do what I want. Now, if you choose to join me...  
  
Raven's hands released her throat.  
  
I can let you live, and show you how to rid the Teen Titans for their intentional work. But if you choose to reject me...I can pretty much strangle you or, if I want to be more entertained, I'll find a more blooded way to.  
  
Raven tried to cry, but couldn't.  
  
Oh, you want to cry? I can make you cry...  
  
She felt hot water streaming from her eyes and then down her cheeks. She tried to wipe them away, they were so hot. She hadn't cried in so long, she had forgotten the feeling of such hotness touch her bare flesh. But her tears kept streaming down.  
  
What? You can't handle it? You said you wanted to cry.  
  
"I didn't say anything. You did it."  
  
Feh! Don't get frilly with me, Raven. I would love to do much more, but I'll take it slow. I will no longer talk to you for the rest of the night. But I will continue to let those tears come down until you finally get used to them.  
  
Raven wiped her eyes, her hands also stinging with hot now. She just had to wait, just had to wait until she got used to it... 


	2. They Are Not My Friends

Chapter Two  
  
Beast Boy got up from his bed and walked to the door. He opened it and stepped into the hallway. As he passed Raven's room, he stopped to press his ear against the door to listen. It was the strangest conversation he had heard from her.  
  
"Stop it...stop making me cry...Power of chakra, I invoke you..."  
  
Beast Boy rolled his eyes as he knocked on the door, "Raven, we're gonna watch a movie now. You coming?"  
  
"Horror?" came her voice from inside the room.  
  
"I can make it horror."  
  
He waited a little until he saw Raven walk out of the door, out of her dark room. Her face a red glow to it, probably from crying. She stared at Beast Boy, "I'll lounge out for about half the movie before I go to bed."  
  
"What ever, Rave," Beast Boy said, "It's your choice."  
  
Raven rolled her eyes and followed Beast Boy to the lounge.  
  
It was after the movie. Whatever horror movie Beast Boy picked out was so boring, it had put everyone to sleep right there on the lounging couch. Everyone, that is, except Raven, who was now suffering that horrible voice again.  
  
Look at them, they fell asleep on your movie. You never did that to them.  
  
"The movie wasn't even that goodl. They're sleeping because it got so boring and I would be sleeping also if you would just get out of my head."  
  
They are not your friends. Go find someone else...befriend me...someone other than these freaks.  
  
"You may have control over my body, but you do not control my mind."  
  
Yes, Raven, I quite as well know that. You can make your own decisions while at time, you'll find that the ones I tell you are much better.  
  
"No...you've made me sad and depressed these four long years. Why can't you just leave me alone?"  
  
I will not leave you alone until I get one of the two things I want: your friendship or your death. Whatever comes first.  
  
"You idiot...just let me go already!"  
  
I will not.  
  
"There are plenty of other chakra headeds to go around. Why me?"  
  
Because you are the strongest. Listen to me...and obey me...you will abandoned your friends...and you will do me the favor and kill them for me.  
  
A small kitchen knife floated from the kitchen and landed in front of her. Raven took the knife, unsure what to do.  
  
Go ahead, do it.  
  
"I will not."  
  
Then at least curse them with my scared symbol. Go...draw an X on each of their foreheads using the knife and when I snap my finger, they'll be dead. But I will only snap my finger if you choose to.  
  
Raven looked down at the cold blade and got up from the lounging couch. She gripped the knife and approached Robin first. Slowly she drew a large X on his forehead. Starfire was next, the X was on her head now too, her green blood spewing from the jagged cut. Then Cyborg and Beast Boy.  
  
Good...good...you've done it.  
  
"Yes, but you must respect my wishes and only snap your finger when I say to. If not, I will be forced not to befriend you."  
  
Yes, Raven. I shall respect your wish. Now...wait! What are you doing?  
  
Raven gripped the knife and gently imbedded and X on her forehead as well, "Second wish," she said, "You kill my friends, you kill me. It's that simple."  
  
You little...  
  
Raven felt her hands start to choke her again, "You better think about it before you kill me..." she said in a weak voice, "Without me, you'll have to find another chakra headed idiot like myself. Got it?" her hands released her.  
  
You are very clever, Raven. But do not worry. I will have you in a tight spot. A spot that will give you a choice of a partnership...or your blood.  
  
"Partnership! You..." she stopped, seeing someone had awakened. It was Beast Boy. He sat up and stretched his long arms.  
  
Oh, look who's up...it's little, bubbled-headed Beast Boy. Bad girl, you've woken him up.  
  
"Go away..." she murmured to herself. She turned to Beast Boy, happy he didn't notice the X on his head. It would be too dark for him to see hers or anyone else's anyway, "I'm sorry if I woke you."  
  
Beast Boy yawned, "No prob, Rave," he said, "Who were you talking to anyway?"  
  
"Myself?"  
  
"Is that a question?"  
  
"I hope not," Raven looked down to the floor, "He probably thinks I'm an idiot right now."  
  
You are for not believing me.  
  
"Did I not just tell you to go away?" Raven said out loud.  
  
"Excuse me?" Beast Boy asked, astonished.  
  
"I wasn't talking to you," she said firmly, "Just go back to bed," she curled up into a ball and pulled her cloak over her to keep her warm.  
  
Beast Boy looked around, seeing if anyone else was asleep. He looked over at Raven and smiled a little, "Raven?"  
  
"What?" she murmured, sleepily.  
  
"Do you know what it feels like to love someone?"  
  
Raven rolled her dark eyes, "I wouldn't know because I've never been in love," she heard Beast Boy let out a disappointed sigh, "Please, just go to bed..."  
  
Beast Boy shrugged and scrunched down onto the couch also. He fell asleep almost instantly after that. Too bad I couldn't say the same for Raven.  
  
He's trying to butter you up, make you soft. He thinks just by doing that will make you simply hand over the chakra power right to him.  
  
"I am going to tell you one more time to leave before I put in ear plugs."  
  
Ear plugs won't work, I'm in your head.  
  
"Then shut up before I knock myself out so I can sleep."  
  
Robin was the first to wake up at 9 o'clock the next morning. He quickly pulled on his shinning green gloves, taking a quick glance at his reflection, seeing nothing abnormal. For a second he thought he saw something on his forehead, a mark, perhaps. But he placed his gloved arm to his side, figuring it was just a little trick of the light.  
  
He walked over to the bathroom, quickly carrying out his business then sleepily walking to the sink to brush his teeth. He smiled quickly at his reflection and then looked down and grabbed his toothbrush. He squirted some toothpaste onto the bristles and began to brush.  
  
His mouth was pretty full of scrubby toothpaste before he looked at his reflection again. This time, looking at his forehead. There was a strange X cut into his forehead and a small amount of caked blood surrounding it. He dropped his toothbrush, shocked.  
  
"What the..." he said slowly, running his fingers over the X. He ran to the lounge where everyone was just waking up, but still their eyes closed a little, "Titans! Look!"  
  
Everyone turned their attention to Robin, sleepily. Beast Boy laughed, "Cool! Robin has rabies!"  
  
Cyborg chuckled a bit, "What's the matter now, Robin?"  
  
Robin walked over to all of them and kneeled on the carpet, "Look at my forehead? Do you see that?" he noticed everyone else's foreheads too, "And look, we all have it!"  
  
Cyborg looked at his arm, seeing the reflection off his shinning body. There was an X also on his forehead as well. He passed arm down to Beast Boy, Raven, and Starfire.  
  
"What can it be?" Starfire asked Robin.  
  
"Could be a curse. We all have it."  
  
"Or it could be the from the zombies from Mount Doom!" Beast Boy exclaimed. Everyone looked at him like he was a freak, "What? It could be possible."  
  
"It's a movie, BB," said Cyborg. "This is real ife."  
  
Raven rolled her eyes, "Maybe someone's trying to kill us all. Perhaps Slade," she swung her hood over her head so they couldn't see her guilty looking face.  
  
"Could be," said Robin, "Raven, you know healing spells...try to get rid of these marks."  
  
Raven leaned over and placed both hands on Robin's head, "Azrac Metzion Zinthos!" she murmured. Nothing happened. She shrugged, "Whatever it is, it's gonna stay there, probably."  
  
It's a spell cast by me. You cannot reverse it.  
  
Raven closed her eyes tight and shoved her palms into her ears again, "No...not again, please, go away!"  
  
"Raven?" Robin asked slowly, "Are you okay?"  
  
They've doubted you...they thought you were strong. Now that you've failed to heal them, they'll reject you.  
  
"Please leave me alone, don't make them think I'm crazy!"  
  
You are crazy, to think they are your friends.  
  
Beast Boy sat next to Raven, "Are you okay, Rave?" he asked. Raven turned her eyes to him, ignoring the voice.  
  
"Yes, I'm talking to myself again," she said, smiling a little.  
  
Starfire stood up, "You guys ready for a nice breakfast? Today I'm gonna make Bathrocks Calloon!"  
  
"And what exactly is that?"  
  
"They look like pancakes only they're made from the best lamb's stomach!" she smiled, but everyone moaned. Robin heard a faint beep and reached into his pocket to pull out his eRing, which was blinking and beeping away.  
  
"I guess it's not time for breakfast now, Star," he said, "Looks like Slade's in town again."  
  
Starfire sighed, "At least let us fight some time today, Robin?" Robin replied a short, side smile.  
  
"So, we meet again, titans," Slade said slyly, smiling widely, "But believe me, I'm not here to fight. I'm here for the chakra headed girl."  
  
Beast Boy transformed into a tiger form, "Gotta go through me first!" he rammed into Slade, knocking him into the wall.  
  
Look, you see? Beast Boy thinks Slade is trying to steal your chakra power. He wants it for himself.  
  
"Stop it!" Raven screamed, falling to her knees on the floor. She covered her ears, screaming to block out his voice. But she could still here it loudly and clear.  
  
Look at you, Raven. You're beating yourself up for these weaklings. Oh, what was that I just heard Robin say? Did he just say...he doesn't want you here?  
  
Raven stopped screaming, "What?"  
  
You were screaming so loud, you couldn't hear him. I did, I heard him clearly as a diamond.  
  
"You're lying..."  
  
Just open your eyes, uncover your ears and listen.  
  
Raven looked up at the titans, each of them having a look of disgust in their faces. She uncovered her ears to listen.  
  
"You idiotic fool, did you really think we would protect you from Slade?"  
  
"We'll let him have you...like we care about you..."  
  
"Slade can be yours...go find a different group of titans to combat with. Leave us all alone."  
  
"We've used you and now we can finally get rid of you."  
  
Raven shook her head, "No..." she said, "No, this cannot be...you were right..."  
  
You should have listened to me before. You should have joined me to prevent this darkness. Now look.  
  
"No, they're my friends, how could they do this to me!"  
  
Can you not see they were lying to you? from them.  
  
Raven hugged her arms and got to her feet, "Azrac Metzion Zinthos!" she hurled a pipe towards the titans, who lunged out of the way, amazed. She looked down and said, "I was a fool, to think you were my friends."  
  
She cried her burning tears again and ran away from the titans, whom she once thought were her friends.  
  
Slade ran away from the titans once again, seeing that he would get another chance to get to them later. Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, and Cyborg pondered in shock.  
  
"Why did Raven leave again?" Starfire asked, "And why did she wish to attack us? Did we say anything wrong?"  
  
"I don't know, Star," Robin said glumly, "She said something before she left. Besides that little spell she says all the time, I swear she said something else."  
  
Cyborg thought for a moment, "She said something like she was stupid to think we were actually her friends."  
  
"What could have made her think we were not?"  
  
Beast Boy shook his head, "Someone was messing with her," he said. Everyone turned their attention to him, "Someone is messing around with her head, maybe making her think other ways."  
  
Starfire's eyes swelled with tears, "What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Last night, I was talking to her. She was acting very weird, like she could hear someone I couldn't. She told it to go away and then tried to keep to herself. I seriously think someone's tricking her."  
  
"No!" Robin said, "Who would do such a thing to her?" he sat there and thought for a moment. He whipped out his eRing and pressed a couple of buttons, "Ah, look. We can track her, my eRing says she's in the park. Titans...go!"  
  
Raven opened the door to the shack. It was very bright, she used to like it when there was light. But now she didn't want any light in her life. She quickly smashed her light bulb. She looked around and spotted her old futon, still laying in the same spot where she had put it last. She used to live in this old, depressing shack, now she was going to live in it once more.  
  
Just her and the dark voice in her head. 


	3. Saving Raven, yet not quite victorious

Chapter Three  
  
Robin, Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Starfire looked at the park grounds with pity in their faces. Robin lifted the eRing from the ground and showed to the other titans.  
  
"She took it off," he said, "Her eRing is no longer with her. Without her eRing, she can't be tracked. We've lost her."  
  
Starfire shook her head, tears flowing from her huge, green eyes, "No, it cannot be! We must find her, Raven is our friend. What if something bad happens to her? Or if Slade finds her first?"  
  
Cyborg crossed his arms, "And she can fly, she could be long gone by now. Miles, even."  
  
"We must search for her," Robin said, "First the city and then slowly outwards. If you find her, contact us on the eRing," he dropped Raven's eRing, "We must convince her we really are her friends and whatever is messing with her is wrong."  
  
The titans all moved out except Beast Boy. He kneeled down on the ground and picked up Raven's eRing.  
  
"Hey, I'm Beast Boy, I can turn into a dog," he said. He quickly transformed into a dog. He panted hard as he sniffed the eRing and pointed himself into another direction, "And I can sense Raven, I can find her..."  
  
Raven flopped herself down onto the futon and covered herself with her black bed sheets. The futon was hard and the bed sheets were cold, like the hearts of the Teen Titans. She would just have to get used to it...she would be here for a long time.  
  
She had thrown away her eRing, less much would anyone care. Who cared about her anyway? That was it for her, she was the only thing that would take care of herself. Sooner or later she would forget about the Teen Titans.  
  
Raven, you should have seen it earlier. Everything I said was true.  
  
She sighed and rested her head on the hard pillow, "You have given me this lecture already many times before I came here. Give it a rest for once.!"  
  
But I thought we had a deal.  
  
"What deal?"  
  
You and I were to become partners.  
  
"I never made that deal. You kept trying to get me to be that way. However, I will never."  
  
Very well then.  
  
Raven heard a clang on the floor. She shot up in an instant on the futon. A small knife was slowly floating towards her. It stopped only inches from her face, still floating.  
  
Now, if I remember correctly, you had to make this kind of decision a long time ago, when I first came to you. Didn't you? Perhaps now you'll have the courage to do it. Maybe now you'll see that you no longer have anyone to come and find you and mourn for you, can you? Do it, my Raven. Do it quick.  
  
Raven sighed and took the knife. The cold blade would soon brush upon her and she would be no more. Like she wasn't anything before anyway.  
  
Beast Boy came across a small shack. It was old and the front porch lights flickered lifelessly. He could smell Raven all over the door, all around him. He was sure that she would be here...he hoped. He transformed back into human.  
  
He knocked on the door. Once...twice...three times. No answer. He thought he heard a little yelp on the second knock.  
  
"Raven?" he asked slightly loud for whoever inside there was to here. Still, no answer. He placed his hands on the door knob and opened it a small crack. It was too dark for him to see, no doubt Raven probably was in there. He looked around and found a flashlight sitting on the floor. He banged it couple of times to get it working. He flashed it into the room. Moving it about, back and forth, he spotted a small futon laying on the floor. A large figure was wrapped in the dark sheets and a head full of dark brown hair was puffing up from above it. A forehead, he could see, with the chakra jewel embedded in the middle of it, "Raven!"  
  
He ran to her placing a hand on her shoulder, "Go away," she said from under the covers in her slow, glum voice, "You're just another thing I'll hate for always."  
  
"Raven," Beast Boy said, "I don't know what's messing with your head, but we are all still your friends."  
  
"No..." she said, "I thought you were my friends. But you betrayed me."  
  
"No, we didn't. Raven, we did not betray, we wouldn't betray you. You're our friend."  
  
"Leave me alone," she said.  
  
"Please, snap out of it, Rave."  
  
"Leave me alone!" she said more loudly this time, "Just leave me alone...leave me alone so I can die in peace and not with an enemy around."  
  
"Stop it, now!" he drew the dark sheets back and exposed Raven's entire body. Her arms were at her sides, palms facing up. And Beast Boy gasped once he saw her wrists. They were cut deeply and gushing with blood, "No, Raven, don't do this."  
  
Raven's eyes closed slowly, waiting for her body to finally let go.  
  
Very good, Raven. You'll finally rest in peace forever.  
  
Beast Boy shook Raven by her shoulders, "Please, Raven, don't let go. Hold on, I'm gonna get help," he quickly took out his eRing and held down a button, "It's Raven, track me and quick!"  
  
He threw his eRing across the room, "No, why, Raven? Why listen to that voice in your head...he's lying to you. Do you hear me? He is lying to you!" he buried his head into her chest, "I never told you this, but...Raven...I love you. I loved you I think even before I met you. Please, Raven. You can't die. I don't want you to die."  
  
Raven was in darkness now. She wasn't dead, yet. But she soon would be. For some reason, though, she didn't want to die.  
  
"Okay, listen. You have my blood now. Can you please stop the illusion to Beast Boy? I think he really means what he said."  
  
This is no illusion, Raven. You really are going to die. You are experiencing real pain, real blood is exiting your veins, Beast Boy is saying real things he really means.  
  
"Wait...so you lied to me? They really were my friends after all?"  
  
Yes. You see, it's better now that I am inside your mind. Because I can also make illusions in your head that really isn't there. You see, to get you back for what you did to me four years ago, I planned to have you killed. I wanted to kill you right there, when I had the chance when I first entered you. But I like this better...you finally deciding to kill yourself.  
  
"Azrac Metzion Zinthos!" she screamed, "Power of chakra, I invoke stronger power of you. Power of chakra, I invoke stronger power of you...I invoke stronger power of you...I invoke...I invoke..."  
  
She felt an urge of great power flood her as she brought her palms to the sides of her head. She pressed hard, "Send him away, please...send this evil incarnation to hell, where he belongs."  
  
Ha, ha...the power of chakra cannot take effect on me anymore. You are nothing now. Nothing can save you.  
  
The three other titans all arrived at the same time to the old shack. They knocked on the door frantically all at once. Beast Boy answered it, his eyes red and shriveled.  
  
"Whoa!" Cyborg yelled, "Is that Beast Boy crying?"  
  
"It's not funny, Cyborg," Starfire said, "He's being serious for once."  
  
Robin stared at Beast Boy, concerned, "Wait...Beast Boy, what happened?"  
  
Beast Boy didn't say anything. He only pointed in the direction of the futon, where Raven lay motionless. Robin gasped and ran to Raven's side.  
  
"No, what happened?" he asked. Beast Boy sighed.  
  
"She committed suicide," he said very slowly.  
  
Cyborg gasped and also ran to Raven's other side, "No, she's still breathing, we can do something, it isn't too late."  
  
Starfire shook her head in confusion, "What's suicide?"  
  
"It's when someone tries to kill themselves," Beat Boy explained slowly.  
  
"No, she wouldn't!"  
  
"I told you, someone's messed with her."  
  
Robin shook his head, "Just shut up and let me think," he said, "We need to stop her wrists from bleeding to death. Beast Boy, you didn't do anything to help the ten minutes you were here?"  
  
"I was too scared to even move!"  
  
"Okay, okay," he said. He took the black sheets and wrapped them around each of her wrists, bonding them together, "That should control the bleeding, but only for a little while. Okay, Starfire, you know how to stitch up wounds, right?"  
  
She smiled and nodded, "Only the best."  
  
"Run home and grab a needle, lots of thread, and some bleach. Go!" Starfire dashed out the door in a blink of an eye, "I'm going to dash to a nearby store and get some ice. Beast Boy, run to the medical clinic and get some medicines to stop bleeding. And Cyborg...just...you've got greater strength then all of us so I need you to stay here with Raven and hold her wrists together as best as you can. Okay?"  
  
Cyborg nodded, "What ever you say, Robin," he said, grabbing Raven's wrists and squeezing them with 100% together, "You can trust me with Raven, I won't let her die on me."  
  
Robin smiled at Cyborg and ran out the door, leaving now only Beast Boy and Cyborg along with the dying Raven. Beast Boy approached Raven and Cyborg slowly.  
  
"Please, Cyborg," he said, "Do not let Raven die. I know I can trust you but you and I both know she can't hold forever if she keeps bleeding. Please keep it at your 100% always, okay?"  
  
Cyborg smiled, "Would it make you any happier I go over 100?" Beast Boy looked at the ground sheepishly, "I'll make sure she doesn't bleeding any more than she is now. Hurry, you're medicine's the most important out of everything we're gonna get. Go, BB. I'll watch Raven."  
  
Beast Boy nodded and turned to walk out the door, "I'll turn into a cheetah and I'll run to and from here faster than ever."  
  
Cyborg waiting until Beast Boy was halfway out the door before he said, "You like her more than a friend, don't you, BB?"  
  
Beast Boy stopped dead, "If you let her die I will kill myself and join her, that's how much I would do for her."  
  
He transformed into a cheetah and ran out into the night.  
  
Raven was starting to get very light headed. She was afraid maybe she wouldn't make it. She could feel someone wrapping and holding her wrists together with tremendous strength. And she could also hear Cyborg's reassuring voice. Cyborg was here?  
  
"It's going to be alright, Rave," she heard him say, "The other titans and I are going to help. We are your friends and we do not want you to die."  
  
Raven smiled, "Cyborg...my friend..."  
  
Your holding on too tight now, you might as well just give up, they'll never reach here in time to save you.  
  
"Cyborg is here. He will control the bleeding until they get back. When they get back they'll save me, you watch. I can holding until then."  
  
Besides the chakra, you never really were an easy girl to have control over power. You are weak, useless...and pretty soon you will die.  
  
"I won't let myself die...my friends won't let me die."  
  
Then I will go and slow each and every one of them down so they can never get to you on time.  
  
"No...you better not, I'll kill you, you fool...I'll really kill you!"  
  
I will, and watch me.  
  
She felt him trying to leave her mind, but she held onto him as hard as she could, "Azrac Metzion Zinthos! Power of chakra, I invoke even stronger power than you've ever given me...ever! Hold him...do not let him leave me. I'd rather live a hellish existence with him tormenting me inside out then watching my friends in death suffer the same. Please, power of chakra, in the words of Cyborg, give me your 100%...please, chakra. For my friends..."  
  
She knew the power of chakra had listened. Because she could still hear his voice lingering in her head while she ignored it and continued to hold on.  
  
Robin and Starfire returned with their things they were assigned to get. They had to wait about ten minutes, though, before Beast Boy came with the medicines.  
  
"Sorry I'm late, it was dark and I had to sneak in," he said. He handed Robin a pouch of power, "But I got it."  
  
Robin smiled and took it. He looked over at Cyborg, who was still holding her wrists together now with over 100%. He nodded at Cyborg, "She still alive?"  
  
Cyborg nodded a little, "Barely, but if we hurry we can save her," he said.  
  
"Let go of her wrists and unwrap them," Robin said as he knelt down at Raven's side. Cyborg stopped pushing on Raven and slowly started to unwrap the sheets from her wrists. Immediately blood started to rush out again. He sprinkled the powder Beast Boy got on each of her wrists and rubbed it into her small veins. After a while it stopped bleeding.  
  
"Yes!" Starfire said, jumping, "We can stitch her up now!"  
  
Robin cleaned the needle using the bleach and threaded it. He handed it to Starfire, "Give me your best."  
  
Starfire nodded and started individually stitching each wrist so that her skin would stay together. Robin took the ice and laid in on Raven's head to keep her cool. In about ten minutes Starfire finished stitch up her wrists.  
  
"I'm done...they should heal up nicely."  
  
Beast Boy sighed, relieved, "What do we do now?"  
  
Robin sat there, watching Raven, "We wait until she wakes up, then we'll let her decide."  
  
Raven was smiling now. Sure, she had made a mistake. But at least now she knew she wasn't going to die.  
  
"I should be gaining full conscious now. You can do nothing to stop me."  
  
Do not talk to me in such a way.  
  
"What? Are you mad I finally beat you? Overpowered you?"  
  
No.  
  
"There's something you never knew about me. You think my only way of attacks is the power of chakra. But you are wrong...the one power I use everyday of my sad, miserable life...is friendship. Friendship overpowers evil, overpowers the chakra. It's better than having powers."  
  
What are you saying? Friendship is a very dissipated thing. Why throw away power just for friendship?  
  
"Because look...I'm not going to die. And I didn't use my powers to do that. It was my friends that kept me alive. Look, they are all waiting for me to awaken, which I soon will. I will only awaken when I want to."  
  
Then awaken if you're so eager to stay alive. I can still kill you with my bare hands.  
  
"I am only staying here to say one thing to you."  
  
And what is that?  
  
"You have always gone up against the Teen Titans, but this time you do not have an escape plan. They will defeat you."  
  
They cannot...especially that Robin of yours.  
  
"He is stronger than you, as so am I."  
  
No...no...  
  
"Good bye...I will go with my friends now."  
  
Everyone gasped once they heard Raven moan. She stir a little and then turned to her side. Robin got a little onto his knees.  
  
"Raven?" he said, a slight bit of hope.  
  
Raven turned back to her other side and opened her eyes slowly. She saw a blurred silhouette of a person wearing a mask over his eyes, "Robin?" she asked, weakly, "Is that my Robin?"  
  
She lifted her hand out and grabbed his. Robin smiled, seeing she was okay, "It's me."  
  
"Where's everybody?" she asked, looking around. It was too dark for her to see anything, "Where's the other titans?"  
  
"They're here."  
  
She blinked her eyes a couple of times to adjust to her sharp night vision. She saw her fellow Teen Titan members surrounding her. She smiled and sat up slowly from her futon.  
  
"Listen," she said, "I'm so sorry for worrying you. I wish I could explain."  
  
"How can you not?" asked Cyborg, leaning on his other leg now that his left was numb.  
  
"He's gone, the voice in my head," she said, "You guys all remember my father, and how he tormented me?"  
  
"Yes," the all answered.  
  
"He came back. He told me that you guys weren't my friends and I almost tried to kill myself because of it, but now I see. If you guys weren't my friends you would have let me die. But you didn't, you really and truly are my friends."  
  
"We will always be your friends, Raven," Robin said, "Now tell me, who is your father? I really want to know."  
  
Raven looked down at the ground, "He's...Slade..."  
  
Robin stood up, "No, he isn't!"  
  
"He is. I've known for a long time now. That's why I back off on every fight with him. I can't stand fighting my own father. I'm still fearing him."  
  
Robin looked at the ground, "So he's gone?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Robin stomped on the floor. The Titans would have to have another chance to defeat Slade. But now only Raven mattered. She was still very weak and she needed her own time to heal. But at least they had another reason to catch Slade. Yet...where would he strike next time?  
  
To be continued... 


End file.
